presented by Cassandra Trezise

Do you crave something sweet after a meal ??

Do you find sometimes that after a meal you are craving something sweet ?? Looking for that little something more even though you know you are full ?? I do too sometimes, like today, which made me want to understand more. So here is what I have found.

Sugar cravings can come from a physical imbalance.

There are basic physical reasons why we crave something sweet after a meal:

1. The meal was too salty.

Something sweet afterwards is the body’s way of trying to create balance. Eating salty food makes us feel like we “have to have” something sweet or we won’t feel at peace.

2. You ate too many simple carbs.

Simple carbs trigger the desire to keep going because the fast rise in blood-sugar causes the insulin to rise too, and now you want more.

If you aren’t feeling full and nourished after the meal, you might be missing the “magic” ingredients of fat and fiber necessary to reach the point of satiation. Something sweet feels like the missing element.

3. You’re dehydrated.

You may need water after the meal. Avoid drinking water with the meal since that can cause you to not digest the meal as well. When you don’t digest well, you end up wanting something sweet.

Once we rule out physical imbalances, we should check on our automatic habits. Is finishing a meal an automatic trigger for wanting something sweet?

We set up habits based on triggers, and it doesn’t take much for a habit to become a mindless, automatic behavior. To choose another action is a practice of not only mindfulness, but also patience and commitment. Simply recognizing that it is a habit can help you to change it. But here is the thing to remember, it can take 30 days to change a habit so please have patience.

Along with changing habits and looking at physical causes be prepared with something that not only helps with the sweet craving but is actually good for you.